Two brothers, the sons of a slain Iranian political adviser, secretly acquired nearly $29 million in luxury Dubai real estate using false identities and Caribbean passports, according to property records.
Hossein Shamkhani, who faces U.S. and European sanctions for allegedly running a multibillion-dollar shipping network tied to Iran and Russia, and his brother Abolfazl purchased at least four high-end villas in exclusive Dubai neighborhoods. They registered the properties under assumed names obtained through Dominica’s citizenship-by-investment program.
The brothers, whose father Ali Shamkhani served as a top adviser to Iran’s late Supreme Leader before being killed in military strikes, used the aliases “Hugo Hayek” and “Sami Hayek” to hide their Iranian connections. Hossein Shamkhani’s Dominican passport was reportedly revoked after U.S. sanctions were imposed, though authorities in the Caribbean nation did not confirm this.
Court documents recently filed by the U.S. Department of Justice seek to seize more than $15.3 million from accounts linked to the brothers. Prosecutors allege these funds are part of a complex network of front companies and shipping operations controlled by Hossein Shamkhani.
The U.S. Treasury previously stated that the Shamkhani family used political influence to build a massive fleet of tankers and container ships, generating illicit wealth that was funneled into overseas properties and second passports. These Caribbean documents allowed them to travel undetected while conducting business internationally, officials said.
Property records show the brothers initially used their real Iranian names to purchase two neighboring villas in 2019. They later transferred ownership to their Dominican identities. Subsequent acquisitions were made directly under the fake names.
Abolfazl Shamkhani, who has not been personally sanctioned, also registered as an investor in a Cyprus-based fund using his Sami Hayek alias. Both brothers appeared as founding shareholders in a Turkish company later sanctioned for shipping oil for Russia and Iran.
U.S. authorities have not filed criminal charges against Abolfazl, though court filings reveal he uses multiple aliases and manages companies within his brother’s network. Civil forfeiture actions are ongoing in Washington, D.C. federal court.